Pin spotter and pin



April 2, 1929 .J p BUSCHER 1,707,457

PIN SPOTTER AND PIN Filed Sept. 21, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l 21/ Jzzz/ezzlor i 1771665 e/ZImb- 1?? Busclzer Patented Apr. 2, 1929.

' :uNiTE STATES;

PATENT, OFFICE,

JAcoB r. nuscnnmor noon RAPIDS, IOWA.

7 PIN SPOTTER AND PIN.

Application filed September 1927. 'SerialNo. 220,913.

lt isiny purpose in this connection to pro- I vide a pm spotter-of verysimple, durable and relatively inexpensive construction. v I

Another purpose of the-present invent on is to provide such a pin spotter so constructed andarranged that the device may be readily adapted for use on bowling alleys already 7 built and installed ormay be installed in con nection with the original manufacture and installation of the alleys. I I

Another purpose of the present invention isto provide a novelconstruction for mount-C with the J ing pinsin an alley for cooperation pin spotter.

Still as further object is to provide the combination of a spotter With pins mounted in the floor but not directly fastened to the spotter mechanism. l i 7 Another object is'to provide a bushing for. receiving the movable pin, which bushing can be conveniently-and easily installed in the'alley 'floor- K v j With these and other objects in view, my invention consists inthe construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my pin spotter and, pin, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, ash'ereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in WlllClll' V t Figure l is aplan vievvof one end of a bowlingalley floor; the spotter being shown 7 in dotted lines,'for illustrating the'ge-neral Q the cooperatin arrangementof the spotter with'relationt the floor. 7'

" Figure 2 1s atopor plan View of the pin spotter parts being broken away and-parts being shown in section,

Figure 3 is a vertical, detail, sectional View! taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure tie a- View similar to that of Fig-J ure 3, illustrating the spotter in a different position of its movement;

Figure view taken on the line 5-5 ofFigure-l; v 1 Figure 6 is a vertical, sectional view taken on the line 6 -6 of Figura illustrating the construct onand arrangement of thespotter.

actuating means; and. i V

Figure 7 is a detail,""sectional-view taken on the line 7+7 of Figurejland illustrating g parts for actuatingacenterlng pin; 4

inechanical pin setters.

'in-r which pins are placed and by which the I v pins f M 5 is a Vertical, transverse, sectional Where a pin setter of the kindabove men- 7 tioned is r employedyl preferably provide ly from thesetten I In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 1 0' to indicate generally the floor of a bowling alley. I

Aspace must be provided underneaththe" alley floor 10 atthe rear end of the alley Where the pins are set up for receiving the the floor is installed the spotter. My improved spotter comprises a frame underneath the rear part of the alley.flo0r 10 and a cooperating movable. frame seated. or supported on the fixed frame and adapted toactuate thecentering pins. 'c

' Suitable means are-carried by the fixedframe for actuating the'movable frame. The

actuating means; are operatedfrom the'pin setter, althouglrmy'spotter maybe other- Wiseactuated for instance' by the'foot of the pin setter boy.

"adaptedto be installed in 'fixed position v For-purposesof clearness', it may be 'said that itis quite aigeneralpracticeinthe in" stallation of 'thegbo'Wling alleys to provide pins are setupright and in approximately their proper positions on the alley floor.

.The'pin setters 110W on the market donot 'setthe plus with exact accuracy upon the proper gspots jon the floolu Therefore in many alleys a pinspotteris'employed.

The pinspotter actua't'es pins projecting through the floor of thealley into recesses in These are devices the-'bottomsiof thejt en pins for accurately centering the tenpin's onthe' proper spots My :present invention relates to pin, spotters of the kind j'ust'mentioned;

It might beinentioned in" this connection that pin spotters-inay be employed Without mechanical setters, in which case pinl boys Would setup vthepins WltlI approximateac curacy, and a spotter such as is the subject of 'my present application could be used "for completingthe accurate spotting of the ten meansfor actuating the spotter automaticalaa We,

ing a part of my. improved pin spotteri fixed frame is 'illustratedin Figures 2', 3, 4-

. Itis su'bstantially triangular in out .line, having a transverse, upwardly opening channel-shaped member 12 forming the base of the triangle.

Secured to the frame member 12 at its ends are forwardly inclined horizontal side frame members 14, preferably made of angle bars with an upright flange 14 and a horizontal, inwardly extending flange 14".

The forward ends of the side frame members 14 are connected by a transverse angle bar frame member 16, which has a lower, horizontal flange 16 with an upwardly er:- tending flange 16 at its rear edge.

Between their ends, the flanges 14" of the frame members 14 are connected by a transverse, connecting, upwardly opening channel-shaped frame member 18.

At'their rear once, the frame members 14 are connected by the upwardly opening, channel-shaped member 12 already mentioned.

' The channel bar frame members 12 and 18 I andthe angle bar franiie member 16 termi nates short of the upwardly proyecting flange 14, as illustrated for instance in Figures 2, and 5.

Theupwardly' projecting flanges .14 and theends of tl e frame members 12, and -6 L J like 20 until the fixed frame I'Gdttf f proper height under the floor 10.

The supporting members 20 are preferabl arran 'ed under the side frame nieinb'ers 14, so as to leave ample room underneath the fixed frame along its median, central line, for affording room for the operating mechanism hereinafter described.

I For properly anchoring the ii.- i thefloor 10 for making certain. that the frame will always be properly placed fixed I with relation to the floor 10, I provide a pair of brackets 22 bolted or otherwise secured to the frame member12 as at 22 and provided at their rear ends withu-pwardly projecting portions secured to the floor 10 at 24.

(Figures 2 and I have describedthe fixed frame particular reference to the movable fr me, but it should perhaps be understood that the movable frame is seated on the finer, frame before the fixed frame is installed in pas tion under the floor.

Movable frmne.

[I will now describe the movable frame;

The movable frame is in the shape of a true triangle having the rear member 26 and the side members 27 as shown in Figure 2, welded or otherwise secured together at their ends.

The frame members 26 and 2? are in the form of angle bars and the angle bar frame members.27have their horizontal flanges up, and their vertical flanges'extending down-.

wardly at the outer edges of the horizontal flanges, as clearly illustrated for instance in Figure 5.

V The side members 27 of themovable frame are connected by a transverse, downwardly opening, connecting channel bar frame member 28, shown in Figures 2 and 3, and by a second shorter, similar, downwardly opening channel bar frame member 30, located forwardly with relation to the member 28.

The downwardly projecting flanges of the channel bar members 27, which for convenience are marked 2'7 (Figure 5) rest in guides formed between the flanges 14 .01" the members 14 andthe ends of the frame members 12,18 and 16.

Th vertical movement of the movable frame is short enough so that when the pin spotter isinstalled, the flanges 27 will alv ways thus be properly guided.

Because of the triangular shape of the fixed and movable frame members, the movable frame can not travel forwardly or rearwardly with. relation to the fixed frame and will always be accurately guided.

The movable frame will always drop by ntity to its position seated on the fixed i F or lifting the movable frame for actuating the centering pins, the following means are provided.

.fl/[ooa'oZe frame actuating means.

The transverse frame member 18., forming a part of the fixed frame, is providedon its under side at its middle with a pair of down-- wardly extending ears 32 'Pivoted' between the cars 32 bymeans of a pin 34 is'a lever-s36, V

which may have the form of adownwardly opemng channel bar. 7

The lever 36 is the operating lever by which the movable frame is raised. The lever.

36 is of such length that its forward end stands imn'iediately bGlOW'.tl16 center of the transverse frame member 30 0f themovable frame. Between the forward end of the-lever 36 and the cross member 30, of the movable frame aspacer or filler member 40 is secured to the under side of the member 30 for engagement by the lever 36, as best illustrated ber 44 for. operating the secondary levers hereinafter referred to.

The arms of the T-sha aed member 44 are- 1 laterally beyond the lever 36, as shown ject fOllllSfEtIlCE in Figure 5.

Pivotallj suphorted between their ends on the rear flange of the fixed frame member horizontal position" as shown in Figure 3.

12 on opposite sides of the middle thereof are the secondary actuating levers 46, which "at their inner ends have projecting pins 48,

which" stand below the projecting arms'of the member 44, as shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The outer ends of the secondary levers, 46 stand just beneath the'rear ends of the side frame members 27 of the movable frame. (Figure i i The weigl that it normally t of the movable frame is-such holdsthe lever 36 in nearly 'VVhen the rear end ofthe lever 36 is de pressed and that lever is movedfro m itspo-- sition shown in Figure 3 to its position shown in Figures 4 and 5, it will be seen'that this movement swings the forward end of the lever upwardly causing its forward'endfto cally, return the lever engage the frame member. 30 for raising the forwardend of the movable frame.

' Simultaneously the downwardimovernent of the rear end'of the lever 36 and the member 44 moves the inner ends'of the secondary levers 4C6.downwardly, thus simultaneously,

automatically raising the outer endsoft-he secondary'levers 46 and raising the rearends of the side members 27 of tl'iemcvable frame.

The movable frame is tl'ierebyraised vertically and is maintained in horizontal, position during its rising movement. v j

When the downward pressure on therear end of thelever 36 is removed-,the weight of the ,movable frame (see Figure l) will;

cause thatframe to drop downwardly toits position shown in Figure 3, andto automatishown in Figure 4: to-its position shown in Figure3.- T y The actuation of thelever 36 may be caused by the foot of the pin boy or otherwise. v

. Since it is-iny purposeto install my pin spotter times'in], alleys where pinsetters are used, I have also lllustrated a modeof' construction whereby the lowering of the pin 7 setter for setting up the ten-pins on the alley floorqwillactuate the pin spotter. for completing the accurate spotting of the ten pins.v

Rcferringnowto Figure 4:, I have illu'strated aportion of a pin setter; having the frame" 50 with the reartransverse member 52. Bolted or otherwise secured-tothe inein' ber 52 is a bracket 56having a projecting member 58, which isprovidedvith a bore to receive a plunger actuating pin '60. Thepin 60 may be adj ustablymounts dinthemembei- 58 by means of a set screw 62. V

The alleyfloorlO or .a special member 64 projecting rearwardly"therefrom supports an upright bushing 66 having at itslupper end the flange (38 countersunkin the floor or in the member 64 and pro ecting downwardly and through oribeyondthefloor or the mem 7 her seas shown 1nFiguresl;and 6.,-and hav inc, all-'dtS 'lOW/r': partthe; external sci 'ewthreads 70 toreceive a nut 72. .z.

36- from its position -A plunger 'Mis slidably received in the lower part of the bushing-66 with its lower and resting upon the rear end of the lever 36;

The upper end of the passage 66 through the bushing 66 is preferably flared as at 66 toinsure the entrance of the plunger actuating pin 60 into the hole or bore 66 1 v a It will be seen that when vthe movable frame is in-its normal position, resting on the I tarts-will carry witli the pin setter the plunger actuating pin 60, causing it to enter the-bushing 66andstrike the'top of the plunger 7 4 and force the plunger down- Wardly for depressing the rear end of the lever 36 and thus raising the movable frame.

When the pin setter is raised, .the'movabl e frame is 'permitted to drop by gravity, and

the movement of the lever 36 will raise the" plunger 7a,;wh-ich'will offer practically no resistance to thelever movement.

-, I will now' descrihe the centernig pins of the. kind preferably used with my spotter.

Centering pins and mountings.

.Gne objectionable feature of some pin spotters arises fron'rthe difliculty of. replacing the centering pins in case any of them should-be injured. l j i I have provided a centering pin bushing f and a centering pinhdapted to cooperate therewith and coact with the spotterof such construction that either thebushing or the pinmay be quickly and: easily removedor in stalled.

It willbe understood that the ten pins 76 nowmanufactured are provided withtaper ing recesses or countersinlzs/ZS in {their hot toms and that atthe upper ends ofIthe couritersinks or recesses 78 are upward lyp'rojectingdee'per recesses 80.

I-shall now describe the pi ns for'entcring the countersink recesses 78 and recesses 86 for accurately 'centeringthe pins and also. the bushings by whichthe centering guided in the floor.

lvflounted in the floor lt) at the proper spots.

are lmshings 82, each havingat its upper end a'laterally,extendingper pheral La ge 84 provided with holes 36 to receive a spanner wrench. I

The'flanges 8a are countersunk inthe floor 10; as shown in Figurei l. I 1 The lower ends of the bushings 82 project through the1 floora1'1d are threadedas-at 82? toreceive nurses-.1; I-he'nuts 88 maybe pro-fpins are vided with upwardly projecting points 90 adapted to be forced into the under surface of the floor 10, so that the nuts 88.-will not rotate.

In some installations, as for instance, where the floor is originally built for use with a spotter of this kind, the nuts 88 may be secured to the floor by means ofscrews 92.

Slidably received in each bushing 82 is a centering pin 94, preferably provided at its lower end with a head 96 resting upon the movable frame of the pin spotter.

The relative locations of the bushings 82 are illustrated by dotted circles in Figure 1.

They are so located that the centering pins-94c rest upon the frame members 2-6 and .27 except in one instance. The center ten pin is above the frame member 28 when the spotter is installed, and therefore the frame member 28 is provided at its central portion on its upper surface with a filler block 98, the up per surface of which is flush with the upper surfaces of the frame members 26 and 27 (Figure On the pins 9 l between the heads 96 and the bushings 82 are suitable coil springs 100 for holding the pins 94 in their loweredposition and for forcing them downwardly, if by any chance, any one of them should stick when it has been raised. i 7 It will be understood that the exact mode of installing my pin spotter will differ somewhat, depending upon whether the alley is built in contemplation of the use of such a spotter, or the spotter is installed in an alley installed at an earlier time and Without the contemplation of the use of the spotter.

Operation.

will be in its lowered position with the downwardly projecting flanges 27 of the side frame members 27 resting upon the flanges 14" of the fixed frame members 14 between the flanges 14 and the ends ofthe frame members 12, 18 and 16.

The heads of the centering pins 94 will rest on the movable frame member and the upper ends of the centering pins 9% will be just below or substantially flush with the upper surface of the floor 10.

The lever 36 will be in its substantially horizontal position shown in Figure 3, and its rear end will hold the plunger 74- in its raised position,

Assume then that the pin setter is operated, it will be observed that when the-pin setter As soon asthe pin setteris raised carrying with it the plunger actuating pin 60, the weight of the movable frame member will return the pin spotter parts -to their normal positions.

It will be understood that the operation 0 the pin spotter is the same, when it is actuated by the pin boy,-except that the lever 36 is operated by the pin boy instead of by 'the mechanical pin settent will be observed from the foregoing that I have provided a pin spotter ofvlery simple,

durable and inexpensive construction. 7

My pin spotter 18 such that it can be conveniently installed in any alley. The parts are so simple that they do not easily get out of order, and they are so installed that access to the pin spotter is easy for the purposes of repair or replacement.

Attention is called particularly to the ease with which the bushings 82 may be replaced if that should ever become necessary. A spanner wrench is applied :to the flange 84 and the bushing is simply screwed out of the nut 88 and a new-one screwed into place.

In rare instances, the pins may become bent or broken. A pin may be readily replaced without interferring with the installation of the main :partsof thespot-ter, and the replacement of a pin may be accomplished easily and in a very short time in the following The bushing 82 simply screwed out, whereupon the pin may be lifted vertically through thefloor. The hole in the floor, which receives the bushing, is large enough to permit the passage of the head- 96 of the pin. A newpin is dropped into position where it will rest upon the movable frame,

andthe bushing is then screwed back" into place. Thls is an important feature of my present invention.

There are many advantages arising from the mannerof mounting the centering pins in the floor independent of any direct-connection with the movable pin spotter frame.

The easewith which the pins may be removed and repaired or, replaced has {been mentioned.

Another advantage arises from the fact that frames of the'kind herein described,

which do not have thepins fastened to them,

can be much more easilyassembled andinstalled under an old alley, "than is the case with aspotter in which the centering pins are directly connected'tothe spotter frame. Sometimes, I find that in alleys already installed, there is great difficultyjin putting in spotters of the former types, because the cement floor is so close to the under surface of the alley floor. A pin spotter of thekind herein disclosed can be conveniently installed in such an environment.

Another advantage arising out of the sup porting of the pins independently of the spotter frame is due to the fact that variation in the position of the spotter frame hori zontally does not interfere with theoperation of the plns nor cause them to bind. By uslng the lever 36 and the secondary levers 46, as herein described, I have been able to cut down the weight of the spotter very substantially.

It willlbe noted that cooperation between the pin setter and pin spotter is provided by a means, such as Wlll never be 1n the wayof the balls and therefore will never mar the balls.

From what has been said, itwill be understood thatchanges may bemade in the details of the construction of my pin spotter and in the size, arrangement and materials of the parts, without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my ntentionto cover by the clanns .of the patent to be issued upon this application any modlfied forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably able frame and yieldingly pressed againstthe top of said frame but not otherwise connected therewith;

2. In a pin spotter'structure,the combination of a fixed frame substantially triangular inoutline, having onits upper surface at each side spaced guide members, a vertically movable frame having portions slidably received in said guides, and means for actuating said movable frame, comprising a lever pivoted between its ends on said fixed frame and having one end restingbeneath the apex por tion of the movable frame, secondary levers pivoted on said fixed frame in a plane substan-r tially at right-angles to that of the movement of the first lever, each having one end resting under acorner of the movable frame vand another end standing in the path of the downward travel lever. V i i 3. In a pin spotter structure,the combination of a fixed frame substantially triangular of the other end'of said first ,in outline, having on its upper surface at each side spaced' uide' members, a vertically movable frame having portionsslidably received in said guides, and means for actuating said movable frame, comprising a lever pivoted between its ends in said fixed frame and having one end resting beneath the apex portion'of the movable frame, secondary levers pivoted on said fixed frame in a plane substantially at right angles to that of the movement of the first lever, each having one end resting under a corner of themovable frameand another end adapted to be actuated by downward vmovement ofjthe other end of said first lever. v

4. In a'pin spotter structure, a fixed supporting frame adapted to be installedunder neath a bowling alley floor, a movable triangular frame above the fixed-frame, said "fixed frame having means for guiding the :movable' frame in vertical movement, and

means for raising the movable frame from the fixed frame, comprising a lever pivoted between its ends on the fixed frame and having I i one end resting under one corner of themovable frame, a pair of secondary levers plvoted tosaid'fixed frame, each having one end un- I derneath a corner of the movable-frame, the parts being so arranged that the downward movement of the other end of said'first lever imparts downward movement to the'other ends of the sa1d secondary levers.

5. In a pin spotter structure, the combinationofa plurality of centering pins adapted to be slidably mountedin .aybowling alley fioor,a fixedframe, a vertically movable triangular frame arranged for cooperating with said pins, and means for raising said movable'frame, said means including a lever pivoted to said fixed vframe, and having an end projecting beyond said movable frame, a slidably mounted plunger resting on said projecting end, a suitably mounted bushing're' mounted on a pin setter for engaging said plungen'when such a setter 1s moved to a and actuating said lever.,

6. In a pin spotter structure,the combination of a fixed-frame substantially triangular in outline having on its upper surface at each side spaced gulde members, a vertically Jmovableframe having portions slidably received in said'guides, and centering pins slidably supported-above said movable frame and adapted to be raised by the upward movement thereof.

- 7 In apin spotter structure, the combinafloor at the lower ends of the holes, a plurality of headed bushings received in sa1d rceiving said plunger, and means adapted to be 7 llO jcertainaposition for. operating on the plunger tion of an alley floor having a: plurality of holes,with fastening elements secured to the e r '].25

holes, adapted to be inserted from aboveand to engage said elements for locking the bushings in place, and means for mounting pins for slidable adjustment in the bushings.

8. In a pin spotter structure, the combination of an alley floor having a plurality of holes with nuts secured to the under side of thefioorin registry with the holes, headed bushings in said holes, screwed into said nuts, and means for mounting pins for slidable adjustment in the bushings.

9. In a pin spotter structure, the combination of an alley floor having'a plurality of holes, with fastening elements secured to the floor at the lower ends ofthe holes, a plu rahty of bushings received in said holes,

adapted to be inserted from above and to engage said elements for locking the bushings 1n place, and means for mounting pins for slidable adjustment in the bushings.

nation of a fixed frame, substantially triangular in outline, a vertically movable frame, and means for actuating said movable frame, comprising a lever pivoted between its ends onsaid fixed frame and having one end resting beneath the apex portion of the movable frame, secondary levers pivoted on said fixed frame in a plane substantially at right angles to that of the movement of the first lever, each having one end resting under a corner of the movable frame and another end standing in the path of the downward travel of the other end of said first lever.

12. In a pin spotter structure, the combination of supporting means having spaced guide members with a vertically movable frame, means for actuating saidmovable frame, comprising a lever pivoted between its ends on said supporting means and" having one end resting beneath the apex portion of pivoted between its ends on said fixed supporting 1 381118 and having one end restmg beneath the apex portion of the, movable frame, secondary levers pivoted on said supporting means in a plane substantially at.

right angles to that of the HEOVBHIGR't-Of the first lever, each having one end restingnnder a corner of the movable frame and another end standing in the path of the downward travel of the other end of said first lever.

14. In a'pin spotter, the combination of a plurality of centering pins adapted to be slidably mounted in a bowling alley floor, a pin spotter structure for raising said pins for spotting bowling pins, including a re ciprocating actuatingniemberhaving a projecting end, a slidably mounted plungerreston said projecting end, a suitably mounted bushing receiving said plunger, and: means adapted to be mounted on a pin setter for engaging said plunger, when such a-setfter is moved to a certain position for operating on the plunger and actuating said member Des Moines, Iowa, August 22, 1927;

JACOB. P; BUSCH-ER. 

